ALL RISE

Robert Fuller's bestseller "Somebodies and Nobodies diagnosed and named the malady of rankism -- "what somebodies may do to nobodies." In this sequel, he further explores the social and psychological costs of this problem and counters it with the vision of a "dignitarian" society. Drawing on his experiences as a scientist, college president, and public diplomat, Fuller identifies rankism as the chief obstacle to achieving the American vision of liberty and justice for all -- and he spells out the steps required to eradicate it. Beginning with a call to action, the author exposes what is at stake by demonstrating rankism's poisonous presence in politics, business, and even personal relationships. By way of solutions, he offers alternative dignitarian models for several fundamental parts of society, including education, healthcare, politics, and religion. "All Rise illuminates the subtle, often dysfunctional workings of power in all our interactions, and shows why change is not only desirable but vital.

After earning his Ph.D. in physics at Princeton University in 1961, Fuller taught at Columbia University and co-authored the book Mathematics of Classical and Quantum Physics. He was already an accomplished scientist at a very young age, but the mounting social unrest of the 1960s drew his attention to educational reform, and in 1970 he was appointed president of his alma mater, Oberlin College, at the age of 33. In 1971 Fuller traveled to India (as a consultant to then-Prime Minister to Indira Gandhi) and was deeply influenced by witnessing the famines resulting from the Indo-Pakistani border wars. With the election of Jimmy Carter, Fuller began a campaign to persuade the new president to end world hunger. His meeting with Carter in the Oval Office in June 1977 led to the establishment of the Presidential Commission on World Hunger.
During the 1970s and 80s, Fuller traveled frequently to the USSR, working as a citizen-scientist to improve and ease Cold War relations. This work led to the creation of the non-profit global corporation INTERNEWS, which promotes democracy via free and independent media, and for many years Fuller served as its chairman. 

With the collapse of the USSR, Fuller's work as citizen diplomat came to a close and he began reflecting on his career. This led him to identify and investigate "rankism" – defined as abuse of the power inherent in rank – and ultimately to write Somebodies and Nobodies: Overcoming the Abuse of Rank, (2003, New Society Publishers). This work became a bestseller through his aggressive marketing and publicity-garnering and also served to bring him into the limelight, yet again, as a practical humanitarian. Fuller has four grown children and lives in Berkeley, California.